


Strength in numbers

by smittenwithsugden



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 11:26:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9894071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/pseuds/smittenwithsugden
Summary: Chrissie White is keen on rubbing the sentencing in Robert's face, but she gets told





	

„One coffee to go, Bob,“ Chrissie ordered in her usual snide way, looking more at her phone than at Bob.

“Oh yes, of course, “ Bob said. “It would be my honor to make this coffee for you, my lady,” he mumbled under his breath while he grabbed the to-go cup.

“Have you heard he got 12 months?” Brenda said coming from the back. “I just heard Sam and Cain talking about it outside.”

Chrissie looked up from her phone immediately. “Who? Aaron?” she asked.

”Oh, Chrissie, didn’t see you there…,” Brenda said.

“12 months, eh?” she asked and her lips curled up in a smug smile.

“You could at least try to not look so happy about it,” Bob grumbled and handed her the coffee.

“Oh, but I am,” Chrissie said without any shame. 

She stepped outside and immediately abandoned her previous plan to go to David’s to get some breakfast and instead headed to the Woolpack. 

Marlon was behind the bar for a change, probably because it was still so early. The pub was empty if you didn’t count Sam and Cain at a table in the corner. 

Chrissie was a bit disappointed, she had hoped for Robert, of course, to rub it in.

“Whip me something up for breakfast,” Chrissie said as she sat down.

“Anything?” Marlon asked with a raised eyebrow.

She was about to agree, but knowing the Dingles she’ll probably end up with a fried shoe or something and so she said: “Some eggs and bacon would be grand.”

In that moment Robert appeared form the back. He was put together, nice shirt, nice pants, his leatherjacket on. Chrissie was almost disappointed to not see him more down. But then she looked closer and saw his tired eyes, the way he crouched even a bit more than usual when walking.

He saw her, of course, but chose to ignore her, sitting down at the bar. She had a Deja-vu watching him like this to a morning at Home Farm. She had come down the stairs and he had sat at their kitchen counter in a similar manner. He had told her he just had had a long night in the office last night and hadn’t slept well. Thinking about it now, he had probably had a row with Aaron. It always came back to Aaron, whatever she thought about now, about the little time they were married, every fight they had had, big or small, she told herself now it was all because of Aaron. 

And now he just sat there, being mopey like it was his god damn right and the old anger and disappointment reared back up inside of her. She stood up and walked over to the bar, ignoring Chas and Charity who had just came out to replace Marlon at the bar.

“12 months, eh?” she said instead of a greeting. “That’s more than our entire marriage lasted.”

“Can we not do this now?” Robert sighed.

There was some murmur behind them as Zak and Lisa joined Cain and Sam.

“Not do what exactly?” Chrissie asked with a smug smile, because she knew she was getting to him.

“This… you gloating… I really can’t deal with this right now,” Robert said.

“Oh really?” Chrissie quipped. “Like you weren’t gloating when Lucky got sent down?”

“Oh, I think I missed the part where Aaron did something and one of your lot had to take the fall for it,” Robert bit back, his voice sharp now.

“He’s already done plenty to my family,” Chrissie said and Robert rolled his eyes.

“So, 12 months,” Chrissie pushed again. “How are you gonna cope without getting any for 12 months? Oh no, wait, I forgot, that was never a problem for you, was it?”

“Here we go again,” Robert sighed.

Chas, who had joined the Dingles at the table quirked up at that and looked over. “Oi,” she whispered to the rest of them and now they were all listening in.

“So who’s gonna be your bit on the side this time?” she asked. “You want Rebecca’s number? Oh no, I forgot, you already have it, don’t you? I bet she would jump at the possibility.”

“She can jump all she wants,” Robert said, his jaw clenching. “Just leave it, Chrissie, I am really not in the mood to listen to your whining. Why don’t you go and try to find yourself a man who doesn’t mind you going on and on about your ex-husband?”

Chrissie swallowed and clenched her jaw. No, she was not gonna let him get to her.

“You think he’ll still marry you after a year in prison?” Chrissie bit back. “Lots of time to think in there, I reckon. If he is not completely deluded he’ll come to the conclusion that you’re not worth it.”

“Do you even hear yourself speak, Chrissie?” Robert asked, standing up now. “You are so bitter and pathetic. Not that it is any of your business, but we actually did get married, before he went in.”

Chrissie laughed out loud and threw Robert off. He had expected a lot of reactions, but not that.

“You are such a waste of time and space,” she said. “You are gonna support him through this? Really? Like you don’t get bored after two weeks and find somebody else.”

“Oi,” Sam called out. “Leave him be.”

“Please, Sam, stay out of this,” Chrissie said, like she was actually still in a position to tell him what to do.

“You just watch and see,” Robert said. “Or not. I really don’t care.”

“Robert Sugden, the faithful husband,” she spit out. “Excuse me while I go barf.”

“Toilet’s that way,” Chas called over and Chrissie shot her a look.

“You are a low life,” Chrissie spat out, ignoring Chas. “You think you can just waltz around like you own the world, taking whatever you please, no matter who gets hurt or left behind, right? You have no feelings for anyone, you are incapable. All you are after is your own gain.”

“That’s enough!” Zak said and the whole Dingle clan stood up.

“You know nothing” Robert said wearily.

“Oh, but I do,” she said, talking herself in a rage.” You tell people you love them and betray them at the same time without batting an eye. Aaron will be no different, he is not here to shower you with the affection you so desperately need. How long until you look for it somewhere else? Tell me, I’m wrong. You need it, Robert, like others need air, you need people admiring you and gazing at you and telling you what an amazing person you are…What are you gonna do when he’s not here to do that?”

Robert had sat down again during her speech and he visibly shrunk, because part of what she was saying was right. He needed Aaron, he needed the little things they did together and Aaron did for him. How was he gonna cope without him?

“You got nothing to say to that?” Chrissie said triumphantly. “Because you know I’m right!”

“Enough,” Lisa said and stepped between Chrissie and Robert. “Can’t you see that he’s upset enough as it is?”

“Beating someone when he’s down… not the first time, right, Chrissie?” Cain sniped, and the entire Dingle Clan positioned themselves between Chrissie and Robert, like a shield.

“You lot will be sorry,” Chrissie bit back, head held high. “You will be so sorry you ever let him near your Aaron.”

“He’s ours, too,” Sam said.

“Excuse me?” Chrissie said.

“What he means is he is one of us now,” Zak said.

“That means,” Chas said and stepped up, “that what you said isn’t true. He got a whole family behind him who admires him a lot, for what he did and what he is doing now. He’s not alone.”

Chrissie was taken aback and tried to look around the herd of Dingles to see Robert.

“Really?” she asked and raised her eyebrows.

But Robert didn’t respond, he was still looking sad but also kind of in awe about what just happened.

The silence in the pub was intense, no one was moving until Marlon appeared, oblivious to the situation.

“Your breakfast, Chrissie.”

“I’ll take that,” Cain said and took the plate from Marlon.

Lisa had moved to put a hand on Robert’s back, whispering something to him that obviously made him look a bit more relaxed.

“You all deserve each other,” Chrissie lashed out, feeling embarrassed about how she was treated by this lot. “I guess he fits right in with this cheating, lying family full of thugs.”

Chas moved and for a second Chrissie thought she was actually gonna slap her, but she moved past and went to the door to hold it open.

“Bye, bye,” Charity said, but Chrissie didn’t move.

“You heard her,” Cain said, eyebrows raising.

“You chose this?” Chrissie asked, obviously directed at Robert. “Seriously?”

Robert looked up and for the first time his voice didn’t waver. “Best decision I ever made.”

Chrissie scoffed and Cain took a step towards her, so she grabbed her bag and finally left.


End file.
